People, where for art thou?

I have discovered that for the most part, I am much more a blog person than a message board person, though I do frequent both.  I like the personal touch that conversing with a blogger entails than that of the much larger venue of a message board.  Today, however, in trying to gather some information for today's blog, I did realize that some message boards are very much a source of information and knowledge.

I still tend to bop around the internet, looking for new WLS blogs or boards and some of what I find can be a little bit disturbing.  Yesterday, in one of these particular Google searches, I found a WLS blog I had never seen before and the blogger had quoted someone else.  I don't know who she quoted or where the quote came from, but here is what it said:

Search for any wls blogs or stories or even posters on wls boards from post ops more than two or three years out...they are virtually non-existant. Nobody posts on boards more than 2 years post op. Blogs are abandoned at two years out. The surgery has a honeymoon and people still in that period tend to get very emotional about defending it. Once the regain, ruptures, complications and malabsorption side effects take over, these people feel like failures and hypocrites and go into hiding. Where are the ten year post-ops? Or the five year ones? That's who I want to hear from.

Not real uplifting, huh?  Where are the five year folks?  It also brought up for me what has been a ongoing concern for this blogger, who has not updated since November.  She was only seven weeks post-op and had been in and out of the hospital, so where is she now?  Part of me wants to envision her now doing well with her lifestyle change, dropping weight and living her life and another part of me wonders if it is something much darker. 

Then the quote above made me wonder if the people who are five or ten years out, are simply living a life now that they were physically unable to lead before surgery, thus not allowing as much time for blogging.  That also makes sense to me and I certainly didn't want to believe that all those five or ten year post ops had either regained their weight or had all sorts of complications that left them feeling like failures that caused them to go back into hiding.

So I posted my concerns on two message boards and quoted the above words from the anonymous poster.  I was not disappointed as Living After WLS came through with some answers that are still coming; things such as these:

From Kaye, the site owner "You will see many who are 5, 10, 15 and 20 years post weight loss surgery. Our senior member is little tiny Judy Petite - 21 yrs. post-Arrival. I've met her and she is petite and adorable!!! And she is LIVING. I will be 9 years post-Arrival in September and there are many others with lots of experience to share with pre-ops and those in the weight loss phase of this life-long experience. Many people do drop off message boards or blogs after 1 1/2 - 2 years post off. Many because, as you say, they become highly engaged in LIVING. Some because they are struggling and feel ashamed or embarassed. Some because they can't find a group dedicated to the daily challenges of surgical weight loss."

From Kim, who is four years out "Well, you're in luck. First and foremost, there are many members of this forum (with blogs) that are long term success stories. Let us motivate you and educate you.

Lots of blogs disappear only because people move on to just "living". Life becomes less about weight loss and more about being normal...having a family or a job that takes all of their time!"

From Toris, who has put back on some weight due to pregnancy "You get to the point that you're no longer a gung ho WLS patient, you are a normal person living a normal life. I'm 14 years out.."

I, personally, know two people, C, who is out almost ten years, and another C who is out, I think, about five years.  So, the people who are five or ten years out, are out there, LIVING THEIR LIVES.  Though I do totally get it; I want to hear from those people. I want to know that Shrinking Mama is okay. 

So,here's what I promise.  After my surgery, you will continue to hear from me.  It might not all be good, but I'm going to blog it, so that five or ten years down the line, some pre-op will be able to find information from an "old" post-op. 

Still waiting to hear news on Meg! I'll let you know when I know!